Gaggia Platinum Vision Espresso Maker Review

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This review was published on December 13, 2011. Since then, this product may have been discontinued or replaced. Pricing and availability may differ from what is stated in the review.

Performance Overview

Excellent performance overall, but the espresso shots the machine produces are a little on the weak side.

Espresso Speed

The Platinum Vision is a little slower than some other espresso makers: it took 42 seconds to pull a single shot and 1 minute 25 seconds for a double. To make a double shot, you press the espresso icon twice, and the system automatically brews a second shot after the first one is done. More on how we test the brewing process.

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Espresso Quality

We were favorably impressed with the quality of the espresso that the Platinum Vision produced: it had good color and plenty of rich, dark crema on the top of the shot. The crema was also a lot thicker than on some other fully automatic espresso makers, and that can add a lot to the taste of the shot. We also found that it was consistent, producing the same high quality for shot after shot.

One thing it was not capable of doing was producing a huge range of strength. We test this by measuring the percentage of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) in the shots made at different settings, and the higher this percentage, the stronger the taste. Although the Platinum Vision was capable of producing a decent range of strengths it could not produce the very strong, dark shots that manual machines are capable of. We found that the weakest brew (with the shot length at maximum and the e-Plus stength control dial set to weak) had a TDS of 1.88, and the strongest (with the shortest length and the e-Plus control set to strong) had 5.18% TDS. That is significantly lower than many other espresso makers, so this might not be a good pick if you need a strong brew to get you going in the morning. More on how we test the brewing process.

A shot brewed by the Gaggia Platinum Vision

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Espresso Quantity

The Gaggia Platinum Vision gives you a good level of control over the size of the shot that it produces: we were able to produce shots ranging from just under 1 fl. oz up to 3.5 fl.oz by changing the length setting in the on-screen menu. That's a wide range of sizes that should suit pretty much every user. If you want more, the long coffee option can produce up to tk fl. oz. of coffee.

One thing to note here: if you set the espresso length setting to the smallest setting on the scale, the machine actually keeps pumping water through until you tell it to stop, irrespective of how big your cup is. So, don't set it to this unless you plan to keep a close eye on it, unless you want espresso all over the floor. Take our word for it. More on how we test the brewing process.

Milk & Foam

The Platinum Vision does not have an automatic milk foamer: you have to time the foaming of the milk yourself. Fortunately, the process is straightforward, with the steam wand being well designed and easy to use, and it doesn't take long. We found that it took just 34 seconds to froth up the milk in our tests, which is pretty fast.

We also found that it did an extremely good job of heating and foaming the milk, producing very stable foam with small bubbles that makes a great latte or cappuccino. Our only issue was that the plastic handle that you use to lift the foam wand out of the way after use is rather small, which means it is too easy to accidentally touch the hot steam pipe and burn your finger. There is also no way to control the level of steam: it is either on full or off. Fortunately, the default level seems to be about right.

Other Drinks

As well as espresso, the Platinum Vision can produce coffee and a long coffee, which is basically a very large, dilute espresso shot. The milk foamer also allows you to make lattes and other milk drinks.

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.